Rotor switch



MarCh 1955 w. P. COVINGTON ROTOR SWITCH Filed Dec. 29, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 2

m. m w 6 P m M W INVENTOR.

WM Attorney:

March 8, 1955 w.'P. COVINGTON 2,703,331

ROTOR SWITCH Filed Dec. 29', 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MICRO-SW.

=5 DOOR LOCKS FLASHER William R Co w'ngfon IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent ROTOR SWITCH William P. Covington, Miami, Fla., assignor of fifty per cent to Reginald L. Bnrkholder, Miami, Fla.

Application December 29, 1953, Serial No..400,858

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-80) This invention relates to an electrical switch especially adapted. for use in automotive vehicles for actuating electrically operated. mechanisms whereby a. flashing signal may be provided. when the vehicle slows down below a;v certain speed, and which is adapted to hold door locks in a closed position.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a speed responsive switchwhiclr may readily be inserted in the speedometer cable so that electrical circuits can be controlled by the actual rate of travel of a vehicle.

The construction of this invention features a rotor mounted. within. a casing, the rotor being attached to the speedometer cable for rotation thereof. Rotatably mounted in. the rotor is a fiyweightwhich. is magnetically attracted toa closed position, yet which, because of centrifugal force will swing outwardly so as to permit a microswitch to be biased by resilient means into an. open circuit position.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a rotor switch which is strong and durable, simple in construction and manufacture,-

capable of being constructed from various readily available materials, and which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this rotor switch, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the rotor switch comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view as taken along the longitudinal axis of the rotor switch;

Figure 3 is an other sectional view as taken along a plane normal to the plane of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the flyweight com prising one of the important elements of the inventlon;

Figure 5 is a wiring diagram illustrating one manner of utilization of the rotor switch;

Figure 6 is a sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 66 in Figure 1, and illustrating the operation of the microswitch in greatest detail;

Figure 7 is a sectional view as taken along the plane of line 77 in Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the microswltch actuating structure.

With continuing reference to the accompanying draw' ings wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates the rotor switch comprising the present invention which includes a casing 12 of cylindrical configuration and formed from a suitable material of electrically insulative characteristics. A connector 14 is detachably secured to one end of the casing 12 and into the connector 14, there extends a speedometer cable 16 which is suitably bonded or attached to a fitting 18 which likewise is attached to one of the disk-shaped end pieces 20 of a rotor 22. The other disk-shaped end piece 24 of the rotor 22 has attached thereto a fitting 26 to which there is connected another end portion of the speedometer cable 16. A fitting 28 is utilized to connect the fitting 30 to the speedometer cable housing 32.

It is noted that the portion of the casing 14 has a pair of spaced commutator rings 34 and 36 seated therein, the commutator rings being insulated from each other.

These commutator rings are engaged by brushes of the spring pressed type, as indicated at 38 and 40,. respectively, which extend through. the disk-shaped end member'20 of the rotor 22.

The rotor 22. includes a: base or mounting plate 42 having an aperture 44; therethrough: within which; av flyweight 46. is rotatably mounted by means of a. pin. 48. The fiyweight 46 is provided with a central connecting portion. 50 interconnecting a pair of Wedge-shaped. end portions 52 and 54. The. flyweight 46 is. constructed from a magnetic material and is adapted to be attracted by a permanent magnet 56' seated in the mounting plate 22. A threaded. stop member 58 adjustably secured in the mounting plate 22 limits the amount of travel of. the fiyweight 46 inwardly while another threaded: stopmember 60 which extends through an opening or aperture 62 in the end 52 of the flyweight 46 provides. means for adjustably limiting the outward movement of the fiyweight 46, the outward movement being due to centrifugal action while the rotor 22 is rotating.

Secured to the mounting platev by means of a screw 64 or other suitable fastener is one end of a microswitch plate 66 which is substantially rectangular in shape an which includes a resilient finger 67 engaging the mounting plate 42 to hold a movable contact 68 attached. to the microswitch plate 66 out of engagement with a fixed contact 7 0 mounted on the mounting plate 42. The movable contact 63 extends through an opening or aperture 72 through the" mounting pla-t'e42.

The operation of. this switch is quite simple. Since the brushes 38 and 40 are operatively electrically connected to the contacts 63' and 70, respectively, they are adapted to complete an operative electrical circuit for controlling solenoid operated door looks, as at 74 and '76, and are adapted to complete an electrical-lyoperative circuit through a flasher 78 to lamps 80'. Thus, when the microswitch contacts 68 and '70 are in a closed position, the door locks 74 and 76 are actuated so that the doors may be opened, since the locking portions of the solenoids 74 and 76, not shown, will be withdrawn upon actuation when the microswitch is closed. Likewise, a completed circuit to the lamps 80 through the flasher 73 from the battery 82 will have been effected. However, when the car speeds up, due to centrifugal force, the fiyweight 46 will move outwardly from the mounting plate 42, thereby permitting the spring finger 67 to cause the contact 68 to disengage from the fixed contact 70. This will open the circuit, thus causing the door locks to resist opening and opening the electrical circuit to the flasher 78 and lamps 80. As soon as the vehicle again slows down, the magnet 56 will again attract the end 54 of the flyweight 46 to cause the contact 69 to engage the contact against the force exerted by the spring finger 67.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this rotor switch are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A speed actuated rotor switch comprising a hollow casing, a rotor of electrically insulative material in said casing, means for rotating said rotor, an aperture in said rotor, a flyweight element extending through said aperture and rotatably secured to said rotor, said flyweight being constructed of magnetic material, a magnet carried by said rotor for attracting an end of said flyweight toward said rotor, a microswitch carried by said rotor engageable by said flyweight to complete an operative electrical circuit, brushes carried by said rotor electrically connected to said microswitch, said brushes engaging commutator rings in said casing, said flyweight including a pair of wedge-shaped ends attached to a central connecting portion at the portions of said ends of least cross-sectional area.

2. A speed actuated rotor switch comprising a hollow casing, a rotor of electrically insulative material in said casing, means for rotating said rotor, an aperture in said rotor, a flyweight element extending through said aperture and rotatably secured to said rotor, said flyweight being constructed of magnetic material, a magnet carried by said rotor for attracting an end of said flyweight toward said rotor, a microswitch carried by said rotor engageable by said flyweight to complete an operative electrical circuit, brushes carried by said rotor electrically connected to said microswitch, said brushes engaging commutator rings in said casing, said flyweight including a pair of wedge-shaped ends attached to a central connecting portion at the portions of said ends of least cross-sectional area, said central connecting portion being received in said aperture, stop means for limiting the outward movement of said flyweight, and stop means for limiting inward movement of said flyweight.

3. A speed actuated rotor switch comprising a hollow casing, a rotor of electrically insulative material in said casing, means for rotating said rotor, an aperture in said rotor, a flyweight element extending through said aperture and rotatably secured to said rotor, said flyweight being constructed of magnetic material, a magnet carried by said rotor for attracting an end of said flyweight toward said rotor, a microswitch carried by said rotor engageable by said flyweight to complete an operative electrical circuit, brushes carried by said rotor electrically connected to said microswitch, said brushes engaging commutator rings in said casing, said flyweight including a pair of wedge-shaped ends attached to a central connecting portion at the portions of said ends of least cross-sectional area, said central connecting portion being received in said aperture, stop means for limiting the outward movement of said flyweight, and stop means for limiting the inward movement of said flyweight, said casing being of cylindrical configuration, said rotor including a pair of disk-shaped end pieces interconnected by a base plate, said brushes extending through one of said disks.

4. A speed actuated rotor switch comprising a hollow casing, a rotor of electrically insulative material in said casing, means for rotating said rotor, an aperture in said rotor, a flyweight element extending through said aperture and rotatably secured to said rotor, said flyweight being constructed of magnetic material, a magnet carried by said rotor for attracting an end of said flyweight toward said rotor, a microswitch carried by said rotor engageable by said flyweight to complete an operative electrical circuit, brushes carried by said rotor electrically connected to said microswitch, said brushes engaging commutator rings in said casing, said flyweight including a pair of wedge-shaped ends attached to a central connecting portion at the portions of said ends of least cross-sectional area, said central connecting portion being received in said aperture, stop means for limiting the outward movement of said flyweight, and stop means for limiting the inward movement of said flyweight, said casing being of cylindrical configuration, said rotor including a pair of disk-shaped end pieces interconnected by a base plate, said brushes extending through one of said disks, said microswitch including resilient means for normally holding said microswitch in an open circuit positon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,852 Hendrickson Apr. 21, 1914 1,145,232 Dean July 6, 1915 1,235,932 Scott Aug. 7, 1917 1,435,116 Getchell Nov. 7, 1922 1,554,763 Ryan Sept. 22, 1925 1,574,370 Curtiss Feb. 23, 1926 2,217,495 Preston Oct. 8, 1940 2,643,871 Warrick June 30, 1953 2.677.539 Winslow May 4. 1954 

